1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a dish washing machine including a sump unit to store wash water, and to supply the wash water to an injection nozzle via an inner channel by rotating an impeller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a dish washing machine includes a body provided with a washing tub, a dish basket arranged in the washing tub, an injection nozzle to inject wash water onto the dish basket, and a sump unit connected to the injection nozzle, to pump the wash water to the injection nozzle.
The sump unit included in such a conventional dish washing machine includes a sump housing, an impeller arranged in the sump housing, a channel connected to the impeller, to guide wash water to the injection nozzle, a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water in a mixed state, a drainage pump connected to the garbage chamber, and a filter cover to cover the garbage chamber. The filter cover includes a filter to filter the wash water introduced into the garbage chamber, in order to separate the garbage from the wash water.
In the sump unit, the wash water is highly pressurized in accordance with rotation of the impeller, thereby forming a water flow in a direction tangential to the rotation direction of the impeller. In the above-mentioned conventional dish washing machine, the impeller is centrally arranged in the sump unit, and the injection nozzle to inject the wash water is arranged at a center top portion of the sump unit such that the rotation center of the injection nozzle is concentric with the sump unit. Due to such an arrangement, it may be necessary to provide a separate channel member between the impeller and the injection nozzle, in order to guide the high-pressure wash water toward the center top portion of the sump unit.
Due to the provision of such a channel member, the volume of the sump unit may be increased, so that the washing space defined in the washing tub may be relatively reduced in volume.
In such a conventional dish washing machine, a heater may be installed on the bottom of the washing tub, in order to increase a washing force of the dish washing machine. In this case, however, spoons or other kitchen utensils made of wood or plastic may fall to the bottom of the washing tub by the high-pressure wash water injected from the injection nozzle during a washing process. These utensils may be damaged due to high heat from the heater. Furthermore, there may be a danger of burning when the user comes into contact with the heater after opening a door in an operation state of the heater.
In order to avoid damage of kitchen utensils caused by the heater and accidents caused by carelessness of the user, a cover may be installed on the heater. In this case, however, a reduction in the washing space defined in the washing tub may occur due to the heater cover.